Gas-circulating means



Jan. 16, 1968 J. P, HORNEFF 3,363,532

GAS C IRCULATING MEANS Filed Dec. 1, 1965 j I HG2 INVENTOR.

f ,I'UIIUHH- JAMES R HoRNEFF BYl f M y v f/ J ATTRNiY..

United States Patent O 3,363,532 GAS-CIRCULATING MEANS James P. Horuef, 516 Murray St., Cherry Hill, NJ. 08034 Filed Dec. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 510,932 7 Claims. (Cl. 98-33) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned essentially with gas-circulating means including elongate inlet and distribution chambers in communication with each other, and a discharge chamber spacedly surrounding the distribution chamber for receiving gas from the latter and having a perforate wall for discharge therethrough of received gas.

This invention relates generally to the circulation of gas, being primarily concerned with the circulation of air in a relatively streamline or laminar ow.

As is well known to those versed in the art, the terminology a clean room is conventionally employed to designate a space having puried and controlled atmosphere, and advantageously having a minimum of turbnlence in air flow.

It is an important object of the present invention to privide gasor air-circulating means adapted for use in a clean room which achieves relatively streamline ow with a minimum of turbulence.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a gasor air-circulating means of the type described which is extremely simple in construction and operation, and which is durable and reliable throughout a long useful life.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide gasor air-circulating means having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, which is adapted to be fabricated to flexible sheet material for convenience in erection, dismantling, storage and transit.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specication and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplied in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a top perspective view illustrating gascirculating means constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, partly broken away for clarity of understanding;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational View taken generally along the line 2 2 of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a partial horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 3 3 of FIGURE l.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES l and 2 thereof, gas-circulating means of the present invention is there generally designated 10, and may include an elongate, generally tubular inlet chamber 11 having a gas-input means 12, such as a blower connected in fluid communication, as by conduit 13 with one end of the chamber 11. In the illustrated embodiment the chamber 11 extends generally horizontally, and extending horizontally along the underside thereof is an elongate, tubular distribution chamber, generally designated 15. In addition, a discharge chamber ICC 16 is longitudinally coextensive with and effectively encloses the distribution chamber 15.

More specifically, the discharge chamber 16 may include a generally flat, substantially rectangular lower wall 17 formed with a plurality of thru openings 18. As seen in FIGURE 3, the arrangement of openings 18 may be that of a medial group spaced between the ends of the wall 17, and end groups adjacent to respective ends of the wall. Other arrangements of openings 18 may be provided, if desired. The discharge chamber 16 further includes an upper wall 20 extending spacedly over the lower wall 17 and having side portions 21 depending from opposite sides to respective side edges of the lower wall 17. In practice, the upper wall 20 may be generally arcuate in a plane transverse of the lower wall 17. At opposite ends of the discharge chamber 16 there may be provided generally upright end walls 22 and 23 each extending upward from a respective end of the lower wall 17 to the adjacent edges of the upper and side walls 20 and 21.

The elongate inlet chamber 11 may be defined by an elongate, generally cylindrical wall 25 having a cross section, best seen in FIGURE 2, approximating an arcuate segment of greater than degrees. Thus, the inlet chamber 11 may approximate a chordally truncated cylinder extending longitudinally along and contiguous to the laterally medial or uppermost region of the arched discharge chamber wall 20. In practice, opposite longitudinal edges of the arcuate inlet-chamber wall 25 may be secured, by any suitable means, to the upper wall 20 of discharge chamber 16, extending longitudinally therealong adjacent to and on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline thereof. Thus, the longitudinally extending medial region 26 of upper discharge-chamber wall 20 may denne the lower wall of inlet chamber 11. Opposite ends of the inlet chamber 11 are closed by respective end walls 27 and 2S generally coplanar with end walls 22 and 23. The gas-supply conduit 13 may enter lthrough inletchamber end wall 27.

Immediately beneath the inlet chamber 11, extending longitudinally therealong and coextensive therewith, is the distribution chamber 15. The distribution chamber 15, located Within the discharge chamber 16, may also be of generally truncated cylindrical configuration, having an elongate wall 30 of a constant cross-sectional conguration approximating an arcuate segment of greater than 180 degrees. The wall 30 may have its longitudinal edges secured, by any suitable means, to the upper wall 20 of the discharge chamber, extending longitudinally therealong adjacent to and on opposite sides of the longitudinal centerline thereof. If desired, the longitudinal side edges of the distribution-chamber wall 30 may extend contiguous to respective longitudinal edges of the inletchamber wall 11, on opposite sides of the discharge-chamber wall 20. Opposite end edges of the distribution-charnber wall 30 may be secured to respective end walls 22 and 23 of the discharge chamber 16. Further, as will appear in the drawings, the distribution-chamber wall 30 is spaced over the lower discharge-chamber wall 17, as well as being spaced from the side-wall portions 21 of the discharge chamber.

It will now be appreciated that the longitudinally extending medial wall portion 26 of upper discharge-chamber wall 20 is common to both the inlet chamber 11 and distribution chamber 15, being respectively the lower and upper walls thereof. Further, the common Wall portion 26 is provided with means for fluid communication between the inlet and distribution chambers, as by a series or row of thru openings 31. The openings 31 may be arranged in spaced relation longitudinally along the extent of common wall portion 26. In addition, the distribution-chamber wall 30 is provided with a plurality of tluid passageways, as by thru openings or holes 32, which are arranged in spaced relation longitudinally along the wall 39, as well as circumferentially thereabout. By this means, gas entering the inlet chamber 11 may pass therefrom through the openings 31 to the distribution chamber 15, and thence pass from the distribution chamber in angularly spaced radial directions outward from the wall 3 While the structure, as thus far described, may be of a rigid or self-sustaining construction, it has been found advantageous to fabricate the inlet, distribution and discharge chambers 11, 1S and 16 of exible sheet material, such as relatively impervious fabric, as for economy, as well as ease of erection, dismantling, storage and transit.

In fabrication of the inlet, distribution and discharge chambers 11, 15 and 16 of flexible sheet material, it is preferable that the eiective area of distribution-chamber openings 32 is at least equal to or greater than the effective area of discharge-chamber openings 18. In this manner, the discharge chamber 16 and distribution chamber 15 are maintained in their distended, setup condition, as illustrated, by the internal gas pressure. Similarly, the ettective area of openings 31 is such as to maintain the inlet chamber 11 in its distended, setup condition by the internal gas pressure therein.

The gas-circulating means 1t) is shown in FIGURE 2 as located in spaced relation within a room or enclosure 3S, having a bottom wall or floor 36, and side walls 37. In most practical applications, the inlet, distribution and discharge chambers 11, 15 and 16 are located in elevated relation, as spaced over the door 36 of room 35. Any suitable supporting means may be provided for sustaining the chamber assembly 11, 15 and 16 in its elevated condition, such as a supporting framework 38, say of rectangularly arranged corner posts upstanding from the iloor 36, and horizontally disposed frame members extending between the upper ends of the posts, such as side members 4() and end members 41. The frame members 40 and 41 thus deline an open, rectangular frame comformably supporting the underside of the assemblage of inlet, distribution and discharge chambers 11, 15 and 16. lf required, the lower discharge-chamber wall 17 may be suitably secured to the frame members 40 and 41; and of course, other or additional supporting elements may be employed, if desired.

Depending from the side edges of lower wall 17, substantially longitudinally coextensive therewith, may be side walls or curtain 43, while a pair of end walls or curtains 44 and 45 may depend from opposite end edges of the lower discharge-chamber wall. The curtains or side walls 43, 44 and 45 may also be of rigid or llexible sheet material, as desired, and may depend to the door 36, or terminate in spaced relation above the door, as illustrated.

Communicating through one of the curtain walls 43, 44 or 45, or beneath one of the curtain walls, may be suitable gas-withdrawal means, such as an exhaust blower 46 having an inlet conduit 47, and an outlet conduit 48, as for recirculation to blower 12.

ln operation, air or other gas is moved into the inlet chamber 11, as in the direction of arrow 50 along the entire length of the inlet chamber for passage therefrom through openings 31 into distribution chamber 15. Passage of gas to all portions of distribution chamber 15 may be equalized by a suitable arrangement of openings 31, if desired. From chamber 15, the air or other gas is distributed radially outward to the interior of discharge chamber 16. As the discharge chamber 16 is relatively large, air velocity therein is relatively low, and discharge from the chamber 16 takes place in smooth, downward, columnar ow through openings 18 within the space bounded by walls 43, 44 and 45. This relatively smooth, streamline or laminar iow is illustrated by arrows 51, the gas passing downward to the floor 36, and exiting between the lower edges of walls 43, 44 and 45 and the floor. for withdrawal by the exhaust blower or fan 46.

The relative absence of disturbance and high degree of streamline ilow, as at 51, has been found to provide a clean room of extremely high purity, sterility and cleanliness. In addition, the instant invention provides substantially equal airflow velocities downward away from the lower wall 17 over substantially the entire area thereof.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a gas-circulating means which fully accomplishes its intended objects, is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, installation, maintenance and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claim is:

1. Gas-circulating means comprising an elongate inlet chamber for receiving gas to be circulated, an elongate distribution chamber extending longitudinally along said inlet chamber, fluid-communication means between said inlet and distribution chambers for passing gas from the former chamber to the latter chamber, said distribution chamber having :duid passageways therealong for passing fluid in angularly spaced directions from said distribution chamber, and a discharge chamber spacedly surrounding said distribution chamber for receiving gas from the latter, said discharge chamber having a plurality or" openings in one wall thereof for discharge therethrough of received gas, said discharge chamber being fabricated of flexible sheet material, for support in distended relation by contained gas.

2. Gas-circulating means according to claim 1, the effective area of said fluid passageways being at least approximately equal to that of said plurality of openings.

3. Gas-circulating means according to claim 1, said inlet and distribution chambers being fabricated of flexible sheet material, for support in distended relation by contained gas.

4. Gas-circulating means according to claim 3, wherein the effective area of said fluid passageways in said distribution chamber is at least equal to the effective area of said plurality of openings in said discharge chamber.

5. Gas-circulating means according to claim 3, wherein the effective area of the communication means between said inlet and distribution chambers is at least equal to the effective area of said fluid passageways of said distribution chamber.

6. Gas-circulating means comprising an elongate inlet chamber for receiving gas to be circulated, an elongate distribution chamber extending longitudinally along said inlet chamber, huid-communication means between said inlet and distribution chambers for passing gas from the former chamber to the latter chamber, said distribution chamber having fluid passageways therealong for passing fluid in angularly spaced directions from said distribution chamber, and a discharge chamber spacedly surrounding said distribution chamber for receiving gas from the latter, said discharge chamber having a plurality of openings in one wall thereof for discharge therethrough of received gas, said inlet and distribution chambers each extending generally horizontally with said distribution chamber located below said inlet chamber, one wall of said discharge chamber extending generally horizontally beneath said distribution chamber, for discharging gas downwardly in lgenerally vertical columns, guide means depending from said one wall about the periphery thereof for guiding discharged gas downwardly away from said one wall, and gas-withdrawal means spaced below said discharge chamber for withdrawing gas away from said one wall downwardly in said guide means, said discharge chamber being fabricated of flexible sheet material, for support in distended relation by contained gas.

7. Gas-circulating means comprising an elongate inlet chamber for receiving gas to be circulated, an elongate distribution chamber extending longitudinally along said inlet chamber, Huid-communication means between said inlet and distribution chambers for passing gas from the former chamber to the latter chamber, said distribution chamber having uid passageways therealong for passing fluid in angularly spaced directions from said distribution chamber, and a discharge chamber spacedly surrounding said distribution chamber for receiving gas from the latter, said discharge chamber having a plurality of openings in one wall thereof for discharge therethrough of received gas, said discharge ch-amber being at least partially fabricated of flexible sheet material for partial support in distended relation Iby contained gas.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,329 9/1957 Caldwell 98-40 X 3,004,277 10/ 1961 Allred 98-40X 10 3,229,609 1/ 1966 Larson 98--40 X MEYER PERLIN, Primary Examiner. 

